Team Philippines closed out the 11th BIMP-EAGA Friendly Games on a high note, with exceptional performances led by 18-year-old Jamie Danielle Nirza in karate and swimmers Quendy Fernandez and Philip Sahagun.

Nirza, a nursing student from Jose Maria College, displayed remarkable form in the women’s advanced individual kata category, securing a total of 36.5 points to edge out Malaysia A’s Anisa Aira Nur (36.2) for the gold medal. Malaysia B’s Ameera Liew and Brunei’s Nasir Abdul shared the bronze.

“This gold medal is a reflection of my hard work and dedication,” Nirza shared. “I feel honored to bring pride to our country and my teammates.” She also contributed to Team Philippines’ silver finish in the women’s team kata alongside Yesha Lee Ho and Al Rhina Kawano, scoring 34.6 points.

In swimming, Philip Sahagun and Quendy Fernandez continued their dominance, adding multiple medals to their impressive tally. Sahagun clinched gold in the boys’ 200m backstroke with a time of 2:14.38 and played a crucial role in the 4x100m medley relay victory. With these wins, Sahagun capped his campaign with five gold medals.

Fernandez, on the other hand, took home a gold in the girls’ 200m backstroke and a silver in the 4x100m medley relay, wrapping up her games with five gold and two silver medals.

“Representing our country internationally has always been my goal,” Sahagun stated, reflecting his aspirations to join the national team.

Other Highlights

The Philippines’ medal haul extended to other sports as well:

• Archery: Nathaniel Carlos (men’s individual recurve) and Yvonne Forcado (women’s individual recurve) claimed top honors for PH Team E and PH Team B, respectively.
• Athletics: Milchay Moreno led PH Team A to victory in the women’s 4x400m relay with a time of 4:09.51, ahead of Malaysia (4:19.73) and PH Team D (4:34.16).
• Badminton: Klea Montanez secured gold in women’s singles for PH Team A, while Malcolm Mag-Aso and Andre Alexis Macalalag triumphed in the mixed doubles. Regina Bayudang and Khrystn Valdez rounded out the badminton success with a win in the women’s doubles.

Medal Tally

As of Tuesday, December 3rd, PH Team A dominated the standings with:

• 12 Gold
• 17 Silver
• 18 Bronze

Trailing behind were Malaysia B (8-8-4), PH Team E (7-3-2), and Indonesia (4-4-3).

Team Philippines’ Victory

The 11th BIMP-EAGA Friendly Games showcased the depth of talent within Team Philippines, from seasoned swimmers to emerging stars like Nirza. The athletes’ performances not only solidified the country’s standing in the regional sports scene but also inspired pride and unity among Filipinos.